Feb 28, 2019

Complaint filed after NFL coach berates HS basketball referees

Wisconsin high school basketball referees have filed a complaint against former Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy, claiming he berated them this week following a game.

McCarthy was watching his stepson’s Notre Dame Academy take on Pulaski High School on Tuesday. According to Fox 11, McCarthy followed the referees as they walked off the floor after the game and went on a “verbal tirade,” as one referee described it. The news station obtained video of the confrontation (seen below), which doesn’t have audio but does show McCarthy say something to the referees.

The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) confirmed that the referees did submit a formal complaint. It’s unclear what type of penalties could be involved.

The treatment of high school referees is a major issue nationwide, one that many state associations feel has led to a decline in their numbers. Associations and the NFHS partnered earlier this year to write an op-ed titled, “Dear Mom and Dad: Cool It!” It was published by news outlets nationwide.